Tenacious
by Tenacious Surrender
Summary: Would you give up everything to save a stranger? Would you do anything and everything to save a life? Would you ignore your family to keep secrets safe and sound? Clare Edwards would.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone? Having a good summer? I sure hope so! I'm going to go ahead and warn you that this story will probably be very angst filled. I'm not completely sure yet. This might be a light OOC. But, I hope you enjoy. I have no Beta Reader so there may be mistakes. Hopefully not a lot.**

**I do not own Degrassi  
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Tenacious

A strange mist hung through the air. A young girl ran through a dark alley. Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks. She wore a beautiful dress. It was blue with little yellow flowers. Her mascara ran. Little goose bumps covered her skin. The air was cold, incredibly cold. Drops of rain mixed with her newly shed tears.

An old abandoned mansion that sat next to a mysterious river looked good enough to the blue eyed girl. She opened the squeaky door and walked inside. It was a very unique place. A giant chandler hung above the staircase. Although dirt and debris covered the floor, Clare loved it. Fright and curiosity flowed through her blood as she took slow cautious steps up the large staircase. At the top she walked down a hallway. It was so old and quiet that it frightened her slightly.

At the very end of the hallway was a door. The door was behind a large wooden piece of furniture. Instantly Clare's heartbeat got faster. What if riches beyond belief were behind that door? Her breath hitched as she pushed the heavy furniture away from the door. She opened the door and walked inside. The air was stale and dirty. The floors were disgusting. There was stuff everywhere. It looked dungeon-like. There was not one window in the room which made it even darker. A small candle that sat on a night stand was her only source of light. She could barely make out a pile in the corner of the room. She moved towards the pile. It was not clothes or valuables as she had expected. It was a person. A boy.

She was more intrigued than frightened. The boy was asleep. Or dead. He was skinny enough to be dead. His black hair was almost lifeless as it hung just above his eyes. She stifled a gasp as she gazed down at his hands. Shackles held his bony wrists together. Scars and bruises covered his frail body. The tears started to fall again as she reached down to poke the boy. As if painful his eyes slowly opened. His eyes were gorgeous although fright was in them. "Hi." She whispered plastering a fake smile on her face. The boy cringed and whimpered. His whole body shook as he backed up further, his back touching the wall.

"It's okay. I won't hurt you." Clare soothed. She reached forward to touch his shoulder. The boy sobbed silently. She herself was crying heavily. She reached up and pulled a clip from her auburn hair. She softly unlocked the shackles and threw them to the other side of the room. His weak wrists bleed and she was quick to rip two pieces of her dress and wrap them around the injuries.

"I'm Clare. What's your name?" She questioned as she wrapped an arm around the boy's waist. He shook even harder and she picked him up from the floor. She hid a gasp. The boy was as light as a feather. He didn't respond which was expected. She helped him out of the room and down the stairs.

"If you want me to help you. I need your name." She raised her voice slightly, kindness laced in every word.

"E-Eli." His voice was ruined. He was broken. That voice was not his. It was cracked and hideous. He shuddered at his own voice.

"That's a beautiful name." She smiled as she pulled his through the alley and towards her own house. She had been looking for someone to talk to, someone to listen to. And most importantly, someone to love. Eli seemed like he was the best fit. Luckily her parents weren't home. She unlocked the front door and pulled the boy inside. She held him tighter as she walked up the stairs. She opened the door to her bedroom and slipped in. She softly laid Eli on her bed.

"I'll be right back." She said before turning towards her door. She trusted the boy not to leave. He was too weak to do so anyway. She walked through the doorway but stopped in her tracks at the sound of his voice.

"Promise?" It was vulnerable and scratchy. It took her a few moments of shock before she answered.

"I promise." She hung her head as she ran down the stairs and into her kitchen. She searched through the cabinets for anything and everything that the boy could eat. She made him two sandwiches, grabbed a bag of chips, and an apple. She jogged up the stairs and into her room. She placed the food in front of Eli. He shook his head at Clare. "What's wrong."

"I can't eat that." He whispered.

"You have to." She said less softly.

"I can't." He gritted his teeth.

"You have no choice." She stared at him watching him as he raised one of the sandwiches and took a bite. His face turned green immediately. He turned his head as his stomach emptied it's contents on Clare's floor. Tears rolled down his pale cheeks as the girl delicately patted his back. She was scared that he'd fall apart if she touched him too hard. He choked on a sob as he wiped his mouth with his old t-shirt.

"I'm sorry." He cried.

"Shh." She rubbed his back soothingly. Was he unfixable? Clare hoped not but she was scared….more than ever.

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**Good? Bad? Should I even continue? I will never know. Unless you review. Thanks for reading and have an awesome day!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright I know most of you are probably beyond mad at me for taking so long to update and I truly am sorry. I don't mean to be one of those writers that update twice a year. I've started high school this year and it has been such a major change that I just haven't gotten the chance to update much at all. No more excuses. Here's chapter 2!**

**And no I don't own Degrassi, Febreze, or the handsome Munro Chambers. :/**

Tenacious 

The boy, Eli, fell asleep only minutes after he had thrown up. Clare did not blame him for the mess she'd have to clean because it was her fault. She squeezed her nose shut with her fingers as she wiped up the mess and sprayed some Febreze. She washed her hands quite a few times before hopping into the shower. For a few minutes she just let her mind run as the scorching hot water ran down her shaking body. For a fourteen year old, she had an interesting life. All in the same day her boyfriend dumped her at the homecoming dance and she found a homeless boy and let him stay in her room. _Grandma would be proud. _She thought with a smile. Her grandma would take anyone in. She used to think everyone had a beautiful soul, some just had theirs in deeper than others.

Clare's blue eyes twinkled with unshed tears at the thought of her deceased grandmother. She wouldn't cry though. She had done enough of that. She took a deep breath before washing her hair and face. She rinsed and slowly turned the shower facet off. She closed her eyes for a few seconds as the cold surrounded her. With a sigh she opened her eyes and grabbed a towel. She dried herself completely before pulling on a t-shirt and a pair of purple shorts. She unlocked her bathroom door and walked into her bedroom.

Eli was still sleeping. She quietly sat in her desk chair. She stared at the boy. She wondered how old he was. Did he have parents? How long has it been since his last meal? Would he die? She shivered at the last question. She sure hoped not. He was supposed to listen to her and be her friend. She shook her head as she dosed off.

The next morning she woke up to a knocking. "Clare? Clare, can I come in?" Her mom asked from behind the door.

"Uhh. One second mom!" Clare yelled jumping up from her chair and running to her bed. She grabbed Eli by his waist and hoisted him from the bed. He looked up at her in curiosity and he opened his mouth to speak but she hastily covered it with her hand. She pulled him into the bathroom and sat him on the floor.

"Stay," She whispered before shutting the bathroom door and opening her bedroom door for her mom.

"Good morning mom!" A giant fake smile was painted on her lips.

"Clare, Glen and I are going out again. Will you be okay staying here with Jake until we come home?"

"Yeah mom I'll be fine." She continued to smile as her mom patted her head and left the room. Her smile faded as she closed the door and ran to her bathroom. She opened the door and looked down at the scared boy. He was shaking. She mentally slapped her face. How could she have been so stupid? He had been alone and frightened in that old house. And she carelessly tossed him in her bathroom without a second thought.

"Eli, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. My mom would yell if she found you and you'd have to leave. And I don't want you to leave." She whispered sitting on the floor next to him. She softly placed a hand on him shoulder and he flinched back from her. She awkwardly placed her hand back in her lap.

"I-I didn't mean…" She was cut off by his broken voice.

"I know." He smiled slightly and that was enough to make Clare's whole body fill with warmth.

"I really am sorry." She said again.

"It's alright." He whispered.

"Would you like to take a shower?" She did not mean to be rude but living in such a messy house for so long he must feel awfully dirty.

"I don't think I can stand." He whispered ashamed of his weakness.

"Ummm….I could help you?" She was blushing all the way to her arms.

"Uhhhh…." He trailed off. She could barely see a pink shade on his pale cheeks.

"I don't mean- not like that. You-you can wear my stepbrother's trunks and I can wear my bathing suit and it can be like a pool party except you know in the….shower?"

"That sounds nice but your mom….." He trailed off rubbing his arm awkwardly.

"My mom just left and she won't be back for a while and besides it's just a shower in bathing suits."

"Right. It can't be much different than when I used to take showers with my brother?" A darkness lingered in his eyes but she wouldn't ask about his brother. It just did not seem right.

"Let me go get you the bathing suit. I promise you I'll be right back." He nodded and she ran out of the room. The shaking increased as she left.

**I have a feeling this may be a bit awkward for Clare and Eli but the world will not know until my next update. I'm ready and excited to update as soon as you are! Soo pwease review and thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews guys they always make me smile! I think you're as excited for this chapter as I am. I'm just gonna let my mind run and we'll see where it takes the story to. **

**I don't own Degrassi or Eli Goldsworthy. :,(**

Tenacious

Clare walked into the bathroom, wearing her flower bathing suit, with a pair of trunks in her hands. She handed them to Eli. "Are you…uh….going to be able to get those on?" She asked, cautiously.

"Y-yeah. I….I'm good." He nodded.

"Alright. I'm gonna close the door and wait outside. You can just tell me when you're done. Okay?" Eli nodded once again and she smiled closing the door softly.

He looked down at his dusty pants and wondered how he'd get them off. He attempted to stand but his shaking legs said otherwise and he fell back to the floor. He crawled over to the toilet and put the top down before using his weak arms to pull himself on top of the seat. He took a few heavy breaths as he replaced his pants with the swimming shorts.

"Umm…Clare?" His pale legs shook as the blue eyed girl walked into the room.

"Here I'll put this in the wash." She picked his pants up and looked at him curiously.

"Gonna take your shirt off?" She asked softly.

"Well…."

"If you want a clean shirt I'm going to have to wash this one. Unless I can find a way to steal one of Jake's…" She trailed off.

"Would you mind helping me?" He spoke almost inaudibly.

"Not at all." She slowly grabbed the hem of his shirt and began to pull it up. She could feel him shaking and she couldn't help but feel bad for him. She lifted it carefully over his head. She looked at him for a minute. He was ridiculously pale, his ribs and backbone were showing, and dark scars seemed to be just about everywhere. She gulped but looked up at his swirling eyes.

"I'll go put these in the wash." She whispered turning and leaving the room.

She walked into the laundry room and placed Eli's clothes into the washer. She closed her eyes for a second before starting it and leaving the room. She entered the bathroom with a smile on her face and she kept her eyes solely on his. She pulled the curtains off of the pole so that it could be less awkward and she turned the shower on. She walked over to Eli and put her arm around his waist. She tried not to think of the fact that she could feel every bone as she helped him into the shower. He closed his eyes as the warm water ran down his aching back. He hadn't felt so free in such a long time.

"Clare?" Both of his hands griped her arm. She stood in front of him watching his closely.

"Yeah?"

"Why…..why d-did you help me? Why didn't you just leave me? I'm practically dead anyways." He whispered opening his cloudy eyes to stare into hers.

"I'd never leave someone when they needed me. Besides I needed someone too. And I'm going to help you. I won't let you die." She smiled lightly at his frowning face.

"Look at me. I'm a mess. I'm hideous. I'm one step away from a monster." He shook his head tears building up.

"You are the most beautiful person I've ever met. Not to mention the strongest." She pulled him into a soft loving embrace. He did not cringe or pull away. And most of all, his shaking ceased. She could feel him growing weaker as their tears collided and mixed with the soothing water.

"I promise you for as long as I live, I will never let you go." She pulled from the embrace to hold his face in her hands. She realized that now nothing was keeping him up. Suddenly, they both crashed to the ground. Clare was sprawled on top of Eli. She quickly tried to get up but he grabbed her wrist. Their eyes locked.

"You're the most beautiful person I've ever met too." He whispered. She smiled softly before helping him up.

"How about we get you into some clean clothes?" She turned the water off and grabbed two towels. She helped Eli dry and then she dried herself. She pulled him out of the bath tub and helped him to her bed.

"I'm gonna go get some of Jake's clothes. They'll be much better than your old ones." She told him just as her cell phone began to ring.

"Hello." She answered walking out of her room.

"Clare, babe, I'm sorry about the dance." Her smile shifted to a frown.

"I'm not your babe anymore, K.C." She growled back into the phone.

"Come on, Clare, don't be like this." K.C. replied back in an annoying tone that made Clare angrier.

"Don't be like this?! You're the one who dumped me at the homecoming dance."

"I know and I'm sorry. I'm an idiot. Please forgive me." She rolled her eyes as she opened the door to her brother's room. Jake was still asleep. He was such a heavy sleeper that the house could be torn down and he probably wouldn't even notice. She opened his drawers and grabbed a pair of pants and a t-shirt.

"Clare?" K.C. spoke again. The blue eyed girl closed Jake's door and headed back towards her room.

"I don't want to talk to you."

"Please. Is there someone else?" He asked into the phone jealousy laced in his words.

"Actually there is. I'm done, K.C. I'm done with all your crap. I found someone who will actually listen to me and be there for me." Clare stopped in front of her bedroom door wanting the conversation to end.

"Fine. Whatever." Clare rolled her eyes once again before hanging up on him.

"Who was that?" Eli asked as she handed him the clothes.

"No one." She smiled at him before leaning in…

**What do you think? Is Clare only acting this way to get revenge on K.C. or does she actually have feelings for the green eyed boy? What will happen next? Will K.C. try to get what he wants or will he back off? Thanks for reading and please review telling me all of your thoughts! (:**


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